


The Death of Clan Sabrae

by Sixylicious



Series: Halla, Hawk, and Fox [12]
Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 14:17:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4709057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sixylicious/pseuds/Sixylicious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A retelling of Merrill's Act 3 quest, with my Mahariel written in.</p><p>They only tried to do what was best for their people. How could they have known it would go this badly? Now they are the only ones left.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Death of Clan Sabrae

"It shouldn't have been able to leave. What happened to him?"

Footsteps approaching. Merrill turned first, followed by Valythari, followed by the others. Hawke, Fenris, Isabela, and Zevran, because the former Crow didn't go anywhere without his lover.

Marethari stood before them, her expression tired and resigned. "I happened."

Merrill's expression fell. "What have you done?"

Valythari stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Merrill as the Keeper told them what the demon had planned. They held each other tightly as their world shattered further with each of Marethari's words.

"Kill me," the Keeper finished, "and it dies too. Merrill will finally be safe."

"No! You can't make us do this!" Merrill pleaded.

Marethari turned to face them now. "You have always known your blood magic had a price, da'len. I have chosen to pay it for you."

She was glowing now with a purple light, her form growing, shifting, revealing the pride demon she now harbored within her. Seren pulled Merrill back as the rogues and warrior drew their blades. Neither Merrill nor Valythari wanted to fight their Keeper, but she had given them no choice.

***

Marethari fell backwards to her knees, her form shifting back from that of the abomination. She let out a weak sigh, a tired but nevertheless proud smile on her face. "You've done it. You are so much stronger than I imagined... the demon is dead," she murmured.

"Keeper..."

Valythari approached, one hand still on one of her daggers. "No... you told us the demon was bound to your life."

Tears welled up in Merrill's eyes again as she realized what her clan mate meant. "And it would only die with you."

"Da'len, no," Marethari gasped.

Valythari closed her eyes and drove the dagger deep into Keeper Marethari's stomach. "Ir abelas, Keeper," she murmured as Marethari slumped to the floor, her life flowing freely down her stomach and spilling out onto the ground. "Falon'din guide you to the Beyond. Creators, please forgive me."

***

They left the cave in silence, barely making it back down the path at all before several members of the clan appeared. Fenarel led them. "We know the Keeper came here. What's going on? Where is she?" he demanded.

Valythari stepped forward, raising a hand to try to calm him. "Fenarel, lethallin, please."

"She's dead," Merrill sobbed. "Fenarel, I'm sorry. I never wanted this. If I could have saved her, if I could have died instead, I would have."

"Lethallin, she was possessed," Valythari tried to explain. "We had no choice. It was a pride demon."

"There would never have been a demon if it hadn't been for her!" One of the other elves exclaimed. "Why are you defending her? Have you spent so much time among the shemlen and the flat-ears now that you've become one?"

Valythari stepped in front of Merrill, her eyes flashing. "I'm sorry, Fenarel, but what's done is done. Let us pass and we'll never bother you again."

"No!" Fenarel said. "You killed our Keeper. This cannot stand! May the Dread Wolf take you both."

***

"This can't be, I'll wake up and this will all have been a terrible dream!"

They stood in the wreckage of their clan's camp, bodies scattered around them. Merrill clung tightly to Valythari, tears streaming freely from her eyes. How could this have happened? The Keeper, their entire clan, all dead. Because of them. The two members of Clan Sabrae who had caused this were the only ones still alive, how was this fair?

Valythari's expression was carefully blank, though she was blinking back tears with sheer force of will. "Go back to Kirkwall without us," she finally said. "Lethallan and I will return in time."

Seren nodded and she, Fenris, and Isabela left. Zevran followed after a few moments, though he would stay nearby to ensure no one interrupted as they grieved.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know why I did this to myself.


End file.
